Moving to graduate school

Graduate students often need to move in order to complete a doctoral or master’s program. Once admitted, enrolled and having completed financial aid, orientation and registration papers, you will need to start planning this move, if it is indeed necessary. One of the first things you will need to make a decision about is whether to move on or off campus.

The great majority of graduate schools provide lots of information about these options on their websites, with every campus having a housing office that provides information about current or incoming graduate students who are looking for roommates, as well as local rental agencies. It is also important to remember that housing for grad students on campus tends to be quite limited, with many international students choosing this option due to the fact that they tend to want to be close to the institution, especially in their first year.

Another good tip is to schedule a visit before making any move. Taking the time to investigate all of your options thoroughly in order to find the right living arrangement, be it on or off campus, is a very good idea.

In an ideal world it would be best to make a visit to the campus and the surrounding area as soon as possible after admission. This means that you will have plenty of time to submit a housing application and to confirm all of your assignments. Another good reason to do this is that a lot of housing institutions tend to assign apartments to those who apply earliest.